41. Many of the cases that involve the police detaining artists or banning exhibitions or screenings are never reported by artists, who will often have an interest in not creating more negative attention around their person or artistic expressions. Many cases are therefore neither publically known nor registered. RECOMMENDATIONS 51. In accordance with international standards and respecting the 2013 constitution, Zimbabwe should abolish the Censorship Act and any prior-censorship bodies or systems where they exist and use subsequent imposition of restrictions only when permitted under article 19 (3) and 20 of ICCPR. Such restrictions should be imposed exclusively by a court of law. 52. Replace the Censorship Board and other bodies censoring or regulating artistic expressions with a classification board mandated to issue age recommendations to protect children. 53. Repeal section 31 (criminalizes the publishing of, or communicating, false statements prejudicial to the State), section 33 (criminalizes insulting the office of the president) and section 96 (criminal defamation) of the Criminal Law (Codification and Reform) Act. 54. Reconstitute the Broadcasting Authority of Zimbabwe (BAZ) with new appointees taking oath of office in line with public leadership and governance principles in chapter 9 of the constitution. The independence of the new BAZ board must be guaranteed and respected to eliminate, as far as possible, executive interference on political grounds. 55. Improve efforts to issue licences to community radio stations as these small broadcasters have substantial influence on the exercise of freedom of artistic expression by granting local artists access to showcase talents. BAZ must decrease the fees for licences to ease the financial burden to applicants for community broadcasting services. The exorbitant fees required are perceived as a deliberate move to prevent new entrants into the sector. 56. Repeal or significantly reform the Criminal Law (Codification and Reform) Act and the Public Order and Security Act (POSA) provisions that restrict freedoms of expression and assembly as proposed by the United States, Australia, Canada, Austria and Mexico during Zimbabwe’s 2011 UPR. 57. Take measures, including training of national and local police, to ensure the Criminal Law (Codification and Reform) Act and the Public Order and Security Act (POSA) are not abused by the police to limit artistic freedom of expression in violation of the 2013 constitution and Zimbabwe’s international obligations. 8

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